The Moon is Beautiful
by ShizukaMi
Summary: Mard Geer survives his battle with Natsu, but while trying to escape, meets with Zeref, who takes away his powers. The former demon king must now adapt to living as a human in the hands of the woman he tried to kill, Lucy Heartfilia. As feelings begin to develop between the two, Lucy must make a decision: her morals or her lover.
1. From Hell to Purgatory

**Back again guys! For those of you who are reading because of my previous fanfiction, Tainting Innocence, welcome back! I hope you all continue enjoying my work! For any newcomers, welcome to my Mard Geer x Lucy fanfiction! Hope all of you like it!**

* * *

 _What is this? What the hell is this?_

Mard Geer, king of the demons and the most powerful of Zeref's creations, lay on the shattered remains of his crumbled castle.

 _How did this happen? I was designed to kill Lord Zeref himself._

Struggling up, he looked down at his hands and body, which were covered in pale flesh. Evidently, the massive defeat made him revert to his human form.

 _How did some half-baked lizard defeat me?_

Making his way to his feet, he held his side and limped away from the ruins. Sharp pain stabbed at his sides and chest.

 _Those humans will die._

It wasn't long before he reached a thick forest filled with enough trees to cover and allow him to rest. He stumbled into the dense foliage, collapsing on cool, moss-covered ground. A pair or feet stood in his line of vision.

 _What idiotic amoeba would dare stand before-_

His eyes slowly traveled upwards to the stranger's face, the obsidian orbs widening in horror. Lord Zeref stood above him, cruel, scarlet irises glaring down on him. "It appears," he began, his smooth voice ringing out among the trees. "That my creations are less competent than I had anticipated." Before the Demon King could respond, Zeref's hand pulled his face up harshly, sharp pain shooting through his scalp. "Perhaps it's time I truly test your abilities, King of Demons," the black mage said mockingly.

The king's heart suddenly felt like someone had grasped it and clenched tightly, his body feeling weak. "W-what did you do?" Mard Geer choked out. A small smile grew on his master's face. "I've relinquished you of your curse."

 _My power is… Gone?_

"Then why not just kill me?" Mard said. Depression and hopelessness weighed down his heart. Zeref sneered coldly. "Must I repeat myself? I said I was going to test you. Living, weak and alone, is the worst possible situation one can be in. It's time to see how far a demon's perseverance will get you." His head was dropped back to the ground, suddenly lighter after feeling. "We can't have them recognizing you, can we?"

 _I am nothing…_

* * *

The cheers of Fairy Tail echoed throughout the ruins of Tartarus. Victory had reached their grasp. Although, not everyone was celebrating.

Lucy Heartfilia sat away from the others, mourning the loss of her oldest friend, Aquarius. Many of her guildmates respected her enough to leave her be, but others were suffering their own losses.

The demon's defeat had been bittersweet, saving humanity from life without magic, but costing too heavy a price. A sudden crash reminded Lucy of her surroundings and she spun to face the source of the sound. Walking over cautiously, she examined the freshly collapsed wall, about to walk away when a groan sounded from the ruins. The blonde ran around the ruins and found an arm and head sticking out from under the rubble.

"How did he get here?" Lucy gasped, frantically pushing rubble off and pulling him out of the dust. The raven-haired man coughed at the sudden irritation and opened his eyes slightly, locking eyes with his savior. "Y-you…?" He coughed again and fell to sleep's spell once again.

 _That's odd,_ she thought, quickly pulling the man away and towards the her guildmates. "Wendy!" She yelled as loud as she could, dragging the man to the stunned mages before her. The sky dragon slayer ran up, eyes widening at the appearance. "Can you help him?"

She nodded and went to work. It wasn't long before the bloody wounds disappeared and his shallow breathing steadied. Many asked where he had come from or how he was involved, but Lucy did not have any answers, only leaving more confusion and distrust for the man. His eyes slowly flickered open and he coughed slightly.

"Are you okay sir?" Lucy asked with concern. "I'll live," he responded in a scratchy voice. The celestial mage sighed in relief and frustration. "Can you tell us your name?"

"Mar-" the man started choking again. Wendy immediately went to work on his chest, attempting to clear debris out of his lungs. "Mark," repeated Lucy softly. "I'll take Mark back to my apartment and treat him." Her words greatly surprised her comrades, some yelling out objections or questions. "I… I'd like to get my mind off of things. Don't worry, he'll be okay."

Wendy was hesitant, but agreed, knowing full well the grief that Lucy felt. "I'll give you instructions on how to take care of him," she said softly. "Just be careful." She stepped away to allow Lucy to speak with the man, evidently named Mark. The blonde knelt down next to the dark-eyed man. "It's okay Mark, you're going to be fine," she said soothingly.

"My name is Lucy. I'm here to help you."

* * *

Not even twenty-four hours later, Makarov Dreyar disbanded the strongest guild in Fiore for unknown reasons. He disappeared immediately afterwards. Lucy brought Mark to her apartment and left him to sleep quietly in her bed. She looked over the lacrima and document Wendy left for her to use.

Natsu and Gray had slipped away after Tartarus was defeated; no one had been able to contact them. Everyone split in their own separate ways, leaving Lucy alone with her patient. She sighed unhappily and sat on the chair next to his bed. _He's so peaceful when he's sleeping_ , she thought with a small chuckle. She reached out to stroke his raven locks from his face when a pale hand snapped and gripped her hand. "D… Do… you know who I am…?"

"You're Mark. A victim of Tartarus," Lucy said in confusion. The man's grip tightened aggressively. "Do you not remember the man who clashed with your strongest spirit?" Lucy's brown orbs widened. "No…" Their voices spoke in perfect unison, one filled with rejection and denial and the other only confirming her fears.

" _Mard Geer._ "

* * *

 **I realize that this kick-off was probably very boring, but it was the first chapter and I promise it'll get better from here. I sincerely hope that all of you enjoy this one just as much as you enjoyed Tainting Innocence. On November 28th (I'm not sure if this is right, the date is on my wordpress), I will be submitting my first One Piece fanfiction for you fans out there. Otherwise, I'm done with this and don't forget to check out my wordpress, life of a female otaku . wordpress . com, (take out the spaces). I post all my deadline and submit dates for my fanfiction chapters on there and also, once it gets more popular, I'll be starting polls on their for future works. ~Bye!**


	2. To Save a Life

**Geez… this is late. Enjoy! Also I saw the inconsistencies in my last chapter and I must apologize. I relied mostly on the manga so I didn't know how far I was off. I might go back and edit it later.**

 **Adelene900: Haha, thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue following! X)**

* * *

"You're lying."

"I am not. Is it so hard to recognize me?"

"Natsu killed you… We saw him do it!"

"He only knocked me unconscious. You should know that demons can't be killed so easily."

Lucy grit her teeth in frustration, the thumping within her chest getting faster with fear. Pale hands snapped and held her head, blonde locks clutched between shaking fingers.

"Shut up! There's no way you're real! I… I-I refuse to accept it!"

The young man looked at her coldly,disgust evident in his dark irises.

"Only the weak close their eyes when something disagrees with them."

The blonde mage looked back at him with eyes of fury. Her trembling hands tore away from her hair and launched at his shirt collar. Wrenching the injured mass to a sitting position, her became a mask of despair and her hand lashed out striking his pale cheek. Knuckle connect with skin over and over before Lucy screeched.

"Don't you dare call me weak! I've been through hell and back because of you and you're stupid lackeys. If you hadn't cast Algeria-"

"So you do believe I am Mard Geer," he interrupted, flashing a smirk at her now frozen features. The grieving woman's hands loosened slightly, her composure slowly regained. Her hands clasped together on her lap; her last attempt to hold onto her sanity.

"Show me proof." Her brown orbs flashed furiously, determination radiating from her.

"So fierce. I'm sure that friend would be proud of you. The Water Bearer, correct? Ah, her sacrifice was glorious, wasn't it? Having her friend destroy her only pathway to this realm. And to save some pathetic bugs, nonetheless. That pathetic hope is quite amusing." This "proof" that he presented was quickly followed by a laugh. A hysterical, deranged laugh that brought a chill to the blonde mage's spine.

"So you are the Demon King…" Lucy felt a boiling rage settle in her stomach once again. Every fiber of her being restrained her violent urges.

"If you really are him," she said, suspicion still lingering in her voice. "Why haven't you tried to kill me yet? Or destroy this town?" His arrogant, and somewhat unstable facade washed away before her eyes, shame and hatred replacing it.

"After the Dragneel child defeated me, I was discovered by Lord Zeref. He took away my curse… and my hair," Mard explained, a hand reaching up to the back of his head. "And you know the rest."

Lucy's eyes widened, shock eliciting a gasp from her. "Zeref can take away magic?" Mard Geer shook his head.

"He can only take away what we have. The demon's curse power is different from your _magic_." A sigh of relief was uttered from the girl's mouth.

"Why would Zeref take away your powers?"

The king hesitated. Moments of silence passed like an eternity before he spoke again. "Lord Zeref has no use for tools that cannot perform their duty. Why he didn't simply return me to the Book of Demons, I have no idea."

Reality suddenly stabbed Lucy in the heart. Her eyes narrowed, her voice lowered. "What am I going to do with you?"

His irrational grin returned upon hearing this. "Well, I suppose you have several options," he stated, a small chuckle following it. "You can kill me now and save yourself from any threat that I pose in the future. In my current state, it shouldn't be too difficult of a deed. However," he paused with some malice.

"You can allow me to live if you so choose. It's not ideal, but it will preserve those morals you precious humans treasure so much."

"So what will it be girl? Life or death? Vengeance or justice? My future is in your hands!" He said, chuckling deeply.

Sweat dripped from her forehead, her mouth dry. Brief flashes of long blue hair and sharp eyes appeared in her vision. A mermaid tail at the end of the woman and a small crown continued to plague her mind.

"I...I-I…"

"Come on fairy," he yelled maniacally, laughing in between phrases. "Make your choice!"

"I… I WON'T KILL YOU!"

"... What?"

"I'll spare your life, for my sake. Death will only give you what you want. Live and face your punishment. That's how it works in this world."

Large hands gripped her light pink shirt, wrenching her towards him, much like what the blonde had done earlier. "You ignorant woman! Don't you care about your friends? How will they feel about you hiding an enemy in your home! And what about your dear friend who sacrificed herself for your sake? Don't you want to aven-"

Lucy pushed the screaming man back into the wall, his head knocking against the brick surface. Sprinting into the bathroom and locking the door behind her, she slid to the floor, exhausted. Hot tears made trails down her cheeks and silent sobs shook her body.

" _Forgive me, Aquarius."_

* * *

 **Huh, this one was a lot shorter than normal, but I think it was still okay… So I decided to turn this one in earlier than I scheduled just to make up for the late turn-ins last time. Again I'm really sorry about that and the inconsistencies with the canon plot. Just to clarify, this is just a different situation if Zeref didn't put Mard back in the Book of Demons. Also, don't forget to check out my other stories, Tainting Innocence and Pillar! Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	3. The Need For Warmth

The door of the bathroom opened with a small click. Chocolate eyes peeked through, quickly looking on the resting form of her "prisoner". His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling evenly. Softly stepping out from her bathroom, Lucy quietly made her way to the living area near the bed. Her sore body collapsed onto the soft cushions of the couch. The tile floor that she had been sleeping on, although nice, was unfortunately uncomfortable. A chill ran through her body.

 _Blanket…_ Lucy looked around, feeling nothing but the couch's fabric. _Crap… Mard got all of the sheets._ Looking over, she spotted several of said cloth pieces, lying around the former demon's body. _It won't hurt to take a few…_

Pushing herself off the couch, Lucy made her way cautiously to Mard Geer's side. The man still seemed fast asleep. Reaching over him, her pale fingers grazed over the soft material. _Just a little farther_ …! Her hand finally grasped the soft material, when something underneath her nearly made her shriek.

"What the hell are you doing?" A deep voice sounded from under her, although somewhat muffled. Quickly pushing up, she scrambled away from the man. He sat up and scratched the back of his head. "I realized you had a difficult time deciding my fate, however, I hadn't expected you to try and suffocate me," Mard said, sighing. "Not only that, but to have the gall to try it with a weapon as flimsy as a pillow. Honestly, I feel offended."

 _P-pillow?_ Lucy stared at him in confusion, trying to comprehend the words that he had said. Something churned in her mind, bringing up embarrassment and violation. She screamed.

"Y-you… you pervert!" The flustered mage yelled, throwing a nearby pillow at him. Mard's baffled look reminded her of his own assumptions, but did not quell the sinking feeling in her stomach. Object after object flew in his direction, each one missing narrowly. Finally, a hand grasped an arm poised to throw. Lucy looked up, small tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

"I'm finding it hard to see how this is my fault, but all the same, it would be greatly appreciated if you calmed down," he muttered, looking down at her. Anger surged through the girl. "Well, maybe if you weren't so dense you'd realize that 'pillow' was my freaking chest!" Mard Geer paused, allowing several moments of suffocating silence. "You tried to suffocate me… with your breasts?" Rather than the flustered reaction she had been expecting, Lucy only received complete perplexity from the man. "Just forget it," she snapped, ripping her hand from his grasp. Snatching the blanket, she bundled herself on the sofa, annoyance leaving a foul taste in her mind. She closed her eyes.

"Hey, I didn't say you could sleep." Mard's voice sounded uncomfortably close to her ear. Cracking her eyes open, Lucy saw one muscular arm gripping the couch frame, the other next to her head. His face was inches from her own, his warm breath tickling her cheek. "Why are you acting so peculiarly? As interesting as I find it, your attitude is rather tedious. It is making me feel… annoyed," Mard muttered, his lips next to her ear. Heat rushed to the blonde's cheeks. _T-to-too c-close…_

"I-I don't need to j-justify myself to y-you," Lucy stuttered, facing away from his menacing leer. "Oh really," the demon drawled, a smirk gracing his lips. "Well, if you won't listen, maybe I shou-". Something collided with his forehead, the blinding pain cutting him short. Recoiling, Lucy took her chance and pushed him off of her, holding her own head in pain.

The former Demon King pushed himself to his feet, obsidian eyes narrowing as he regained his footing. Lucy stumbled slightly before facing him again, her brown eyes filled with defiance. "I'm not as weak as you expected, Mard Geer." Those were her only words before another sharp pain forced her stop.

"Hmhm… Haha… HAAHAHAA!" The laughter crescendoed to the point of pain for the demon. "My, my! You're right, I really didn't give you much credit, did I? You humans are so…" He paused, laughter overtaking him once again. "Amusing!" Lucy stared at the man in partial bewilderment and terror, ears throbbing from the loundly expressed amusement of the man before her. Another shot of pain forced her to lean against the sofa, a hiss leaving her mouth from behind gritted teeth. _That was a bad idea…_

"Oh? Regretting that stunt you pulled?" The former demon said, his cocky smirk reappearing. Silence ensued, Lucy neither willing nor able to speak in retort. Stumbling over to the kitchen, seh made a clear path to the freezer. _I… really overdid it…_ All she could remember after was her her head colliding with cold tile and a distant shout of surprise.

" _Are you okay?"_

 _A look of concern appeared on the face of the man she loved. His black eyes looked down into her's with thinly veiled panic._

" _I'm fine. What about you? You're in worse shape than me."_

 _A deep chuckle made her heart flutter. "Don't worry, I'm stronger than y-"_

" _Don't even start."_

" _Haha, still as touchy as ever."_

" _... I missed you."_

" _I missed you too."_

"Hey… Hey… Hey!" A deep vice resonated through her groggy mind, calloused hands gripping her skin. Long eyelashes fluttered open. Lucy's hazy vision focused on the blurry outline of a man. "Mard… Geer?" The whisper she had intended, sounded like a weak gurgle to her strained ears.

"Oh you're awake," he sighed. Whether it was in exasperation or relief, Lucy could not tell. "You humans are too arrogant. You lot act like kittens who think they can take on a pride of lions." A sneer followed the remark. "Shouldn't you be… resting?" Lucy found it difficult to manage more than a croak.

"I may be human now, but I'm still stronger than an average male," Mard paused, an almost prideful smirk appearing. "You, on the other hand, bit off more than you could chew. Honestly, pride is such a useless thing…" His rambling trailed off when he looked back at her face. A small smile on her lips appeared for the first time in days. The first time in front of him.

"Thank you. You know," Lucy said, a smile still on her lips. "You aren't that bad. For a former demon at least." A faint pink appeared on the man's cheeks. "Anyway, I'm fine now, so…" She stopped, pushing herself up from the pillow she lay on. "How about I get you some real clothes, hm?"

 **Ah, this one took a while. I realized that a lot of people are still favoriting Tainting Innocence (if you haven't read it, go check it out). Off topic, but oh well. If you guys want to see the deadlines for these fanfictions, I post them on my website, the link is on my profile. Anyway, reviews!**

 **Fate Archer:** You're grammar isn't bad! And thank you!

 **icecreamnova:** He just has a short haircut. Sorry for the confusion!

 **Adelene900:** THANK YOU!

 **artistofthemind:** Uh… I'm not sure


	4. Much Worse

**Good lord this is late. Sorry guys! I'm trying to get into a schedule, and well… I think you can guess what happened. I hope stuff will get easier after like the first week of May. I should be all yours after that so yay! Anyway, here's the chapter!**

* * *

"Can you explain why I must wear such trivial attire?"

"Because I'd rather not have you walk around my apartment half naked all the time."

"Is that a… blush? So you are enjoying it."

"S-shut up."

The t-shirt Lucy bought for him lay loosely on his chest. The demon lord gave the smiling blonde a scathing look. "Is this really what humans wear?" Mard asked, shifting uncomfortably in his black jeans. "Of course," Lucy responded, chuckling lightly. He scowled, but waved her off with his hand. "Fine then. Bring me more of these modern garments."

The demon had opted to stay in the apartment while Lucy left to bring him clothes. The blonde was wary of his interaction with any member of the human race, plus Mard detested the thought of socializing with such "inferior" creatures. An hour later, Lucy was dragging several over crammed bags into her home.

"Well that's as much as I could afford with my spare money," Lucy sighed, placing the bags near the dresser. The demon didn't look up from the book he had been given. "I'm going to go out for awhile," she said, grabbing her keys from the table. No response. _Good. I'd rather not tell him I have to look for another job to pay rent…_

* * *

 _Not a single one._

Lucy slouched in the aisle she was in. Hours flew by and not a single person had given back a reasonable response to her need for work. _I guess Magnolia's more peaceful than I gave it credit for._ She let out a long, tired breath, before a familiar blonde head popped into her peripheral. _Hey isn't that…_

"Jason!" Lucy heard herself yell. The enthusiastic man looked over and lit up. "Lucy! Nice to see you, cool!" He ran up to her and shook her hand vigorously. "I heard about Fairy Tail's disbanding. So tragically uncool!" he yelled, tears rolling down his long face. Lucy rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Yeah," she responded. Something flipped in her head. "Hey Jason," she started cautiously. "You wouldn't happen to be hiring, would you?"

The reporter stroked his chin, making a face that somewhat resembled one in thought. "I don't think so…" he trailed off. Lucy's heart sank. _How am I going to pay rent now?_

"Wait! There is one opening that you'd be perfect for! Cool!" he yelled suddenly, making Lucy jump. "R-really?!" she yelled back excitedly. The store owner yelled at them to be quiet. Jason nodded. "Come to this address tomorrow at 12:00 pm," he said quietly, handing her a slip of paper. Lucy nodded and smiled thankfully. Quickly, she left the store, finally free of the shop owner's sharp glare. _Thank god…._

* * *

Her apartment door opened easily when she stepped into the living room. "Mard, I'm back," Lucy called. No response. "Mard," she called again, alarm edging her voice. The window before her was open, a cold breeze chilling her skin. _He wouldn't… right?_ Her body lunged at the opening. Nothing awaited her at the bottom. _Where-_

The door suddenly opened for the second time that evening. Loud footsteps distracted her panicked mind. Her brown eyes sought out the source, forcing her to gasp in surprise. _No way!_

"Mard!" The celestial mage yelled, rage and relief washing over her exhausted mind. Her prisoner stood in the doorway, adorned with bags in his arms and a rather bewildered look set upon his face. "What is it human?" Mard Geer asked, an arrogant smirk forming on his lips. "You idiot! I thought you tried to k-... r-run," Lucy broke off, looking away.

"What idiotic prattle is this?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Do you honestly believe I, the king of the demons, would run from a little girl like you?"

"I'm seventeen!"

"And I was created about ten times that long ago,"

The frustrated blonde grit her teeth, holding back the rancor boiling in her blood. "Remind me to never worry about you again," she muttered, glaring darkly at the corner.

A hissing noise came prior to an enticing aroma that filled the homely apartment. The blonde's head whipped to the source. Pale chicken meat sizzled in an oil-filled pan, her raven haired prisoner standing at the end of the handle. "What are you doing?" Lucy asked, confused and alarmed at his sudden action. The "chef" looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Am I not allowed to cook a meal for my… gracious hostess?" Mard said mockingly. "W-well, it's not like you can't, but-"

"But?" The man's tone was teasingly arrogant, a victorious smirk adorning his proud features. "U-uh," Lucy stuttered, unable to form a decent argument. The burning shame left an acrid taste in her mouth. _Wait a second…_

A loud curse came from the esteemed chef's mouth. The once delicate golden flesh had blackened considerably and gave off a large cloud of foul-smelling smoke. "Damn it!"

* * *

"Have you ever cooked before?" Lucy asked, staring at the black charcoal that was formerly chicken. The demon cleared his throat uncomfortably. "As a demon," he started, feigning arrogance. "I never required such trivial things like sustenance. Humans are so… needy."

 _He just randomly started cooking… Hmmhmm… To try to look cool… Haha… And this happens…_ "Hahaahaa," Lucy laughed loudly, catching the embarrassed former demon off-guard. "W-what are you laughing at?" Mard yelled, a pale hue of pink dusting his cheeks. The laughing crescendoed.

The crumpled scrap of paper trembled slightly in Lucy's hand.

 **1269 Magnolia Ct.**

 _This is it… My first job since Fairy Tail._

Mard had hastily retreated to his bed after his crushing culinary failure. When Lucy left, he remained wrapped in his sheets.

"LUCY!" Jason yelled from a window higher on the building, his blonde head sticking out of the window. "Head on up! We're on the third floor," he yelled, his head disappearing. _I guess I should have expected that._ Calming her racing heart, Lucy walked into the building.

* * *

"What the-" Lucy explained as the door closed behind her. Mannequins stood around the studio, each of them scantily clad in provocative nightwear. "Lucy! You made it!" Jason ran over, completely unfazed by the oddly decorated workplace. "Jason, would you mind explaining what's going on?" Lucy asked, her voice cracking from the surprise. "Hm? Oh!" Jason exclaimed suddenly, palms slamming onto his cheeks. "I forgot to tell you what the job was! Not cool!" His fist clenched in dramatic agony. "Jason…" Lucy attempted to regain his attention.

"Anyway," he jumped up, his former enthusiasm regained. "You'll be modeling some of these sets. Sorry for not telling you earlier. Not cool!" Lucy stared at him in frozen shock. _You've got to be kidding me._

* * *

"I'm home," Lucy called. The apartment sat silent, only the faint stirrings of her bedsheets reassured her of Mard's presence. _Well at least he didn't try another escapade._ The celestial mage yawned and stretched. "Girl, come here," commanded the muffled voice under the sheets. "I have a name," Lucy replied in exasperation. Regardless, she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Do humans honestly subject themselves to such idiotic rites of passage everyday?" A pair of black eyes peered out from beneath the covers. "I'm sorry?" Lucy replied, raising an eyebrow. "Cooking, doing… mundane things… Is this normal for humans? To feel this need?" Mard questioned, a contemplative shine in his black orbs. "The need to be… useful? Well, I wouldn't necessarily say it's specific to humans, but, yeah, it's normal."

"I hate it," Mard said bluntly, his eyes narrowing. "I always feel like I need to do something, keep myself busy, and fill my head with such compassionate blasphemy." Lucy sighed in exasperation. "You know, it isn't bad to feel like that," she said. "And aren't you normally fascinated by human behavior?"

"Only when it's happening to humans. Not me," he replied blatantly.

"You're one hell of a weirdo, you know that?"

"At least I'm not some silly little girl trying to do what's best for her 'family'."

"What did you say to me?!"

"You heard me, little girl."

The duo glared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Lucy finally broke eye contact and sat down on the adjacent couch, crossing her legs and arms in the process. "By the way," Mard said suddenly, making Lucy look up at him. "Where were you this afternoon?"

Lucy sat still for a moment before releasing a sigh. "I was at my new job," she responded, continuing to avoid eye contact. "Which is?" Lucy looked up at him with hesitation and regret in her brown eyes. "... Lingerie modeling." Mard stayed silent, making Lucy look away again. _I knew it. He's totally going to slam me for this._

"Lingerie? What is that?" Mard asked, his face clearly annoyed at his lack of knowledge. Lucy's head snapped up again and she only just suppressed a laugh. "It's basically skimpy underwear," Lucy explained briefly. "So like this?" There was a pause and, much to her own shock, Lucy felt a cold breeze nipping at her stomach. "Mard, what the hell are you doing?!" Lucy screamed, fruitlessly trying to pull her shirt back over her exposed chest.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't just go up to people and lift up their shirts!"

"I don't see why not. You humans and your bashfulness."

"Pervert!"

"I'm not."

"I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure people who lift up girl's shirts are considered perverts!"

"You haven't seen anything yet."

Lucy felt her back collide with the soft mattress of the bed, the former demon king hovering above her half-naked body. "I could do much worse things," he breathed into her ear. Lucy shivered. "Much worse." He quickly nestled his face into her neck, his hot breath making Lucy develop a heated shade of scarlet. "M-Mard, get off!" She struggled under his strong grasp before pushing him out of her neck. The two locked eyes for a second, a dark shadow in Mard's and a glint of terror in Lucy's. And even with all of the fear that the blonde felt, she couldn't resist the kiss he planted on her lips.

They collided in a passionate lip lock before pulling away slowly, inches away from each other's faces. "Wha-" Lucy started. Mard had climbed off of her and quickly locked himself inside the bathroom. She brought a porcelain hand to her lips, feeling the heat radiate from them. "What in the world just happened?" She gently closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep.

* * *

 **I'm sooooo sorry for the wait. Life caught up to me (even if this is a bs excuse). Not gonna make any promises about next chapter's deadline, just that I will try my best to get it out by 2 weeks from now. Jeez, I'm pushing that T rating... On to the reviews:**

 **PrettyChelsea:** Thank you

 **Adelene900:** Well, uh, they didn't go shopping… Sorry!

 **shadow miko:** Here ya go! And thank you!

 **Guest:** It's here. And thank you!

 **Yuraookami:** Thank you Reader-chan. I hope you enjoy!


	5. I Want You To Smile

**Hey guys (I hope by the time this comes out, it isn't too late)! So, I was reading this fanfiction, and I came to the sudden realization… That the first chapter was actual s- uh… crap. After this update, I'm going to focus on re-writing the first (and maybe second) chapters, cause like I said, they suck. After that, I'm gonna pump out chapter 6. Sorry chapters are coming out so late, but I sincerely hope the chapters are worth it.**

* * *

Morning light radiated through the bedroom window, steadily waking the slumbering blonde. She yawned and stretched leisurely across the bed sheets. Memories striked her mind like a whip. Her head instinctively moved in the direction of the bathroom door. _Is he… still in there?_

Pulling herself out of the bed, she cautiously moved towards the door, gripping the handle firmly. _It's okay. I'll be fine. He… won't do anything… I think._ She pulled open the door against her better judgement and looked in to find her former attacker sprawled out on the floor, sleeping soundly. Lucy sighed, exasperation and relief swirling in her stomach. "Mard," she whispered reluctantly. _This isn't going to end well_.

A hand immediately locked onto her forearm. Black irises stared profoundly into her own. "Why?" He asked, his voice rasping slightly. "Why do I feel so odd when I'm with you?" Lucy felt her breath catch. "W-what?"

"When I'm with you," Mard started, his eyes closing. "All of the blood rushes to my head and it feels like…" He trailed off, looking for the right words. "If I don't act, then I'll regret it." He turned away, releasing her arm from his iron grip. Lucy stared at him in blatant shock. "T-this… is surprising to say the least," she muttered, looking away in embarrassment. "How so?" Mard replied, looking back at her. Lucy puffed out her cheeks. "Well, you kind of molested me last night, remember?"

"If anything, that should have made this less surprising," he said with a scoff.

"Not necessarily. I felt more fear than attraction towards you afterwards," Lucy responded.

"What can I say? These newfound feelings are my chains in human perdition," he remarked snidely.

"That was strangely poetic of you," Lucy said with a chuckle. Mard shrugged and smirked at her. "Don't underestimate my intelligence, my dear." Suddenly, he was on his feet. The demon king stepped closer to her. "Let's go," he said. Lucy looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"We're going out," Mard said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of the bathroom. "Right now?" Lucy exclaimed, stumbling behind him. "Yes," he replied, quickly pushing her out the door and closing the entrance behind them.

* * *

Mard kept a brisk pace, leaving Lucy scramble after him. The duo stopped on top of a hill overlooking a small section of Magnolia. Mard took a moment to scowl at the already risen sun, while Lucy collapsed to the ground, panting. The morning sun had risen high above them, shining gentle rays onto their skin.

"Mard, what is this about?" Lucy said, holding a hand on her chest. Mard gave her a small grin in response. "I simply wanted to enjoy a beautiful day with my warden," he replied. Lucy let out a wry laugh. "Very funny. Ironic that someone like you would call today beautiful." Mard raised an eyebrow with mock innocence. "How so?"

"The King of Demons calling a cloudless, sunny day beautiful? And on top of such a verdant hill no less."

"Maybe my transformation changed my preferences."

"You still look like a gloomy, night person."

"I feel that I should take offense to that."

"I wasn't insulting you. It's a fact."

"Well, I suppose being called a 'gloomy, night person' is better than being a naive, bright one."

"See that? That's a matter of opinion."

"I don't recall ever saying that I cared."

Lucy let out an exasperated sigh, placing her hands on her hips. "Just tell me the real reason you brought me out here," she snapped, her gaze boring into the demon's. The man raised his hands jokingly, as if surrendering to the fiery blonde. "I wanted to… make it up to you. For the other night," he admitted, looking away and shoving his pale hands into his pockets. Lucy stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" Lucy breathed out. "The high and mighty demon king himself… Is apologizing to me?" She bit her lip and placed a hand over her mouth. "Don't laugh," Mard Geer said, glaring at her. "If you do, I might feel compelled to resume last night's activities."

Lucy felt a small shiver creep up her spine, but couldn't refrain from releasing a desperately held in giggle. Her brown orbs widened and stared straight into the narrowed pair of obsidian orbs before her. Letting out a small shriek, Lucy sprinted down the hill into the small plane below it. She could hear of loud footfalls of her pursuer close behind and quickened her already brisk pace. A rush of force suddenly knocked into her back, pushing her onto the grassy cushion beneath her.

Swiftly turning over, Lucy looked up at Mard Geer's flustered face that was within close proximity of her own. Color crept over her face when she felt his warm breath tickle her cheek. "U-um," she stuttered, looking up into his eyes. "Are you going to get off?" He paused for a moment before smiling wickedly.

The dark man above her collapsed upon the blonde and wrapped his arms around her in a tight, yet gentle embrace. "No, I don't think I will," he said mischievously, laying his head next to Lucy's. The blonde beneath him froze, desperately trying to recollect her thoughts. "So warm…" Mard muttered with closed eyes. Lucy felt her face light up brightly and her heart hammer in her chest. _What am I supposed to do in a situation like this?!_

Suddenly, the weight and warmth above her was removed. Lucy sprung up from her newfound reluctant freedom. "What the-" she heard Mard yell. Looking up, she could see the silhouette of a man towering above her. Her eyes widened with recognition at the angrily contorted face of the man who was grasping Mard Geer by his shirt's collar.

"Sting?!"

* * *

"Ah, I see. So you found him after the Tartarus battle and saved his sorry ass. Got it," said the blonde dragon slayer sitting across from Lucy. After the small altercation that occurred a short while before, the celestial spirit mage had just barely been able to break up the two and briefly explain what was going on. _Inviting him over seemed like the only way to appease him_ , she thought with an inaudible sigh.

"Anyway, what are you doing here Sting?" Lucy asked curiously. "Don't you have your responsibilities as Sabertooth's master?" Sting shrugged and gave her a coy grin. "Normally, but Rogue and Minerva said they would hold down the fort while I go on a job. They said I need to get outta my office once and awhile." Sting sighed, a nostalgic look in his eyes. "Anyway, shouldn't you be thanking me? I mean I kinda saved you from that perverted asshole over there," Sting said with a hint of arrogance.

"Who are you calling an asshole, bastard?" Mard said from the living room.

"The one who was pressing his body into a young girl," Sting yelled back sharply.

"Huh? It was consensual."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"I didn't hear her complaining."

"Whip that creepy grin off your face. It's freaking me out."

Mard shrugged and sauntered away, leaving a somewhat flushed Lucy and an annoyed Sting. "Jeez, that guy," the dragon slayer sighed. "Aren't you Natsu's girl? Shouldn't put up a little more resistance to a guy who nearly killed, you know, everyone?"

"I'm not Natsu's girl," Lucy replied with a solemn expression. Sting looked taken aback, but a small smirk appeared on his face. "Then maybe I should test the waters with you after all," he said. Lucy paused and blushed slightly. "It sounds kind of creepy when you say it Sting." Sting let out a laugh and gave the blonde across from him a wide smile. "I don't know if I should find that offensive or hilarious!"

The two enjoyed meaningless small talk and a few cups of tea with the coming-and-going presence of Mard Geer. Sting stood up and smiled at Lucy. "Thanks for having me over. I'll make sure to repay this hospitality the next time you're at Sabertooth," he said. Walking out the door, he gave a last little wave before the door shut behind him.

"He was here for awhile," Mard said, scowling at the door. Lucy let out a small giggle. "Yeah, but it was refreshing to see an old face here," she said reminiscently. Mard strided over to the table and dropped himself into a chair with a sour expression on his face. "You look happy," he commented snidely. Lucy quickly scowled at him. "Let me keep my happiness," she retorted. "Why do you even care so much?"

Mard Geer paused and looked directly into Lucy's brown irises. "Because I want you to look like that when you talk to me." The blonde's eyes widened and her breathing stopped. "What?"

The ebony-haired man pushed himself further across the table and placed his forehead on Lucy's own. "Mard…?"

The kind pressed his lips against her own and allowed himself, for once in his long life, to melt into nothing.

* * *

 **Crap this is late. I'm gonna stop making promises for earlier release dates. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed and this made up for the lateness. I hope you continue looking forward for more chapters and sorry for leaving you guys on a cliffhanger. Question time~!**

 **Adelene900:** Yes, they did XD

 **Haruka Shinonono:** Hope you enjoy this update!

 **NaLuFTfanatic:** Thank you! It's those words that always make me so happy to be writing like this.

 **Guest:** Thank you!

 **Guest:** Thank you and I hope you like this update!

 **Kimikozumi:** Thank you. I'm glad you like it!

 **Guest:** I hope you enjoyed this update!

 **Guest:** Thanks. I hope you enjoyed this!

 **Mystic Wing:** Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy it! I hope this update is good to you!

 **alicedeane033:** Hope you enjoy this! And thank you so much!

 **Guest:** Thank you so much! It makes me happy that everyone likes it so much! I hope you like this update!

 **NOORLILY1** : Thank you~~~~


	6. A Promise and Thank You

**I hope by the time this comes out, it's not too late! I'm grateful to everyone who has been with me on this story! I'm not sure how much longer I want this story to go, but I do have the ending planned out so it just depends on the content that comes in between. Also I'm gonna explain the appearance of Sting in the last chapter. If you've been following the Fairy Tail anime/manga, then you'll know that Lucy can't have met with anyone from Fairy Tail without me having to create a different scenario. Sting is exempt from this rule because he's from Sabertooth. I've rambled on long enough. Time for the chapter!**

* * *

Lucy sat at her dining table and stared at Mard Geer in blatant shock. Her eyes and lips frozen like they had been kissed by a snowman. The demon finally pulled away, looking dazed, if not confused, from his spot across from her.

"Mard, what the hell?" Lucy cried, her unblinking orbs locked onto him. The demon's eyes were glazed over and he simply stared at her in something like disbelief. "'What the hell', indeed…" he muttered. "Mard…? Mard Geer," Lucy called out. "Snap out of it!"

"Hm?" Mard uttered, looking up at her with clear eyes. They hungrily examined every inch of her face before blurring again. Lucy stood up and grabbed his shoulders roughly. "Mard, what the hell are you doing?" She shakes him. "First you're sulking because Sting was here, then you decide to kiss me for no reason, and now you just zone out instead of doing anything else!"

Mard Geer stood up silently and met her fiery gaze. A small smirk grew larger on his face. "Oh? Are you asking me to do something else?"

Lucy was taken aback, but couldn't hide the sigh of relief that came. "Geez, this guy," she muttered. "Can't even kiss a girl properly…"

In the span of several seconds, Lucy was pushed against the wall by the demon. "I can't kiss properly, huh?" Mard said with a husky voice. "Care to reevaluate that statement?" Lucy couldn't think. The words had simply disappeared, frozen in the back of her mind. Pushing his lips onto hers, he ravished her mouth like a starving wild beast. It would be every so often that the blonde part of the tangle would whimper a break for air, but to no avail. It wasn't long before he had begun trailing down.

Down her lips…

Down her cheek…

Down her soft throat…

Down until he reached the base of her neck…

"Something inside me snapped when I saw you and him acting so friendly," Mard said. "Like a need to show that bastard that you belong to me, even if you don't." The man let out a deep laugh that resonated to the celestial mage's bones. "You've given me so much, my dear. You've taught me to feel rage, happiness, sorrow, and that indescribable and tantalizing feeling that fills whenever I'm near you like this." He stopped and licked his lips. "I want to repay the favor."

He latched onto the creamy skin on her neck. "Mard, what are you doing?" Lucy screamed, her voice laced with hysteria and longing. "I'm marking you. What do you think I'm doing?" Lucy tried in vain to push him off her. "Hey, stop! I don't want your damn hickey!" Mard chuckled. "Is that what you humans call it? What an interesting term! But if it makes you so uncomfortable, than think of it like this. It is the mark of my promise," he murmured into her neck. "What promise?" Lucy said, blushing heavily.

"From this day forth, I will put all of my efforts into making you understand and feel this sensation that is beyond my own capabilities to describe. That is my promise, Lucy Heartfilia."

With that he detached himself from her skin and sauntered away into the darkness of the now evening lit hallway. All Lucy could do was walk over to a chair, sit down, and wonder, _What the hell just happened?_

* * *

In Lucy's mind, the whole ordeal had felt like an eternity. This had been a matter of minutes. Thinking aimlessly and laying down in her bed to greet the next morning had felt like a mere matter of moments.

"It's been hours and still no word from him," Lucy whispered to herself. She looked down upon herself and sighed. _He affected me so much that I couldn't even change before I fell asleep?_ Picking out a random outfit from her dresser, she swiftly changed and made her way to the bathroom. Sticking a toothbrush in her mouth, she couldn't help but remember the kiss from the previous evening and a blush crept across her cheeks. "I see I've left my mark,"

A warm presence locked onto her from behind, wrapping arms around her midsection. It fitted its face in perfectly in the crook of her neck. "Mard, what are you doing?" Lucy said around the toothbrush. "I couldn't ignore how lonely you looked. Like a lost puppy. I just wanted to help," he breathed into her ear. Lucy pushed him away and quickly spat into the sink.

"Who said I was lonely?"

"Your eyes."

"M-my eyes aren't people…"

"Oh, then you did."

"Mard-"

The man gently caressed the side of her chin and looked deeply into her eyes. "You do recall my promise, right?" Lucy blushed and nodded quietly. "Then you remember why I'm doing this," he said with a smirk. "Just sit back and relax then."

Mard Geer gripped her chin, tilted it upwards, and moved in slowly. Lucy gasped before pushing him away again. "S-stop it! I don't want to fall in love through your weird social experiment!" The coquettish man chuckled and returned her retort with a playful grin. "Social experiment? I didn't think someone like you would be into something like that. But I have no qualms," he said with a shrug. Lucy looked taken aback. "E-excuse me?!"

Mard closed the gap between them once again. "You want to play mad scientist with me don't you? Come on… Let's play." He bore down on her, his forehead on top of hers. The disconcerted girl's breath caught in her throat. "That's not what I meant and you know it," she huffed, looking away from his penetrating gaze.

"Why are you so against accepting my feelings?" Mard asked quietly. Lucy froze and hesitantly met his gaze. Those demon eyes of his were cloudy and unfocused, like he was attempting to feign indifference. "I-I… I…" Lucy stuttered. The man fell to his knees and gripped both her hands tenderly. "Just tell me why. Please."

The celestial mage bit her lip and held back the cry that was about to come forth. "If I accept you as my new reality, what will happen then? What will happen to Fairy Tail if I just move on? If I let you take me to some new happiness while the idea of my guild just fades away. I don't want that, I-I… I can't let it die!" Lucy exclaimed grimly.

Mard Geer quickly stood up and pulled her into his embrace. "As long as you can carry your memories in your heart, then it will never truly disappear. Plus, you're a rather tenacious woman, I'm sure you won't let go of your Fairy guild for a long time," he said. The hysterical girl giggled, wiping a small tear from her eye. "Are you suggesting that I might forget one day?" Lucy asked playfully. "... Thank you Mard. I feel a lot better now. And I think I'm ready to move on a little now. Just a little bit, okay?"

Mard Geer, for the first time in his long life, allowed a genuine, pure, and jovial smile to envelop his face. He clutched her back and pulled her even closer to him. He set his head into the warm crook of her shoulder and whispered quietly into her ear:

" _Thank you._ "

* * *

 **Hey guys! I'm actually a little proud of myself for getting this chapter out earlier than usual (not something super special, but still glad I got it done). I realize that the ending of this chapter was a little rushed, but there are two reasons for that: (1) This story is meant to be fluffy and cute. I don't want to draw it out any longer than it should be with needless drama. (2) I really want to finish this up BEFORE the school year starts again because then I'll go on a long hiatus again before I even finish so I don't want to commit to anything that I know I won't be able to do. Anyway, the way I'm planning things right now, the next chapter will probably be the last. If any of you are Danganronpa fans, well first please message me so we can fangirl about Mirai and Zetsubou hen please, but also you should go check out my Wattpad, ShizukaMiku, where I have Danganronpa x Reader fics (shameless plug I'm sorry), because I'll be updating that more often since they'll be one-shots that are easy to write on weekend time and handle school work (don't judge my grammar here I know it's bad). Also check out my Book of Fairy Tail fic on this site. It's a compilation of unrelated one-shots of ships that I like. Anyway, onto the questions:**

 **Haruka Shinonono:** Haha! I'm glad you liked it! I hope this one is just as good!

 **KaidaShi:** Aww, thank you so much! I'm glad you like it!

 **Adelene900:** Yes, I know! I'm all for those crack ships! I love Sting, I think he's adorable.

 **CrackedSoda:** I'm sorry this fic is going so fast! I'm trying to work on developing slower relationships and love arcs. I'm really glad you enjoy this though! I hope you enjoy this one (I'm so sorry it ended a little fast-paced!).

 **Mystic Wing:** Did this chapter answer your question? XD And thank you!

 **Ganzademon:** I hope you like this one!


End file.
